
Playmaker Charlotte Caslick will again be a key player as Australia's women seek to defend their Sevens World Series title in 2016-17.

In November, Caslick was named World Rugby sevens player of the year following her displays at the Olympics and the 2015-16 World Series.

Caslick only took up the sport five years ago following a touch footy session, and initially had a love-hate relationship with rugby.

But the decision to stick with it paid off in some style as Australia became the inaugural Olympic sevens champion.

Caslick was also named Australia's women's sevens player of the year, but was the only one from her team who made the World Rugby shortlist.

The 21-year-old has received numerous invites to speak to school children, who she says are more curious if her medal contains chocolate than anything.

Ironically, Caslick (on the ground) initially did not enjoy the physical nature of the sport.

But both before and after Rio she has been something of a poster girl for rugby sevens in Australia.

Part of that interest is down to her being one half of the golden couple of sevens, along with Australia's new men's captain Lewis Holland.

Holland had a nightmare with injuries in 2016, culminating with a hamstring problem that cut short his Olympic campaign and then a ruptured Achilles in preseason training that will likely rule him out of the 2016-17 World Series.